Cotton picking spindle with progressively spaced barbs



Sept. 27, 1960 M. E. LlNDSAY 2,953,839

' COTTON PICKING SPINDLE WITH PROGRESSIVELY SPACED BARBS Filed Feb. 28. 1958 Unite I Patented Sept. 27,1960.

COTTON PICKING SPINDLE WITH PROGRES- SIVELY SPACED BARBS Maurice E. Lindsay, 405 E. 19th 'St., Bakersfield, Calif.

Filed Feb. 28, 1958, 'Ser. No. 718,357 A Claims. (CI. 56-50) This invention has to do with a new and improved picking spindle for cotton picking machines and is particularly concerned with a progressively formed spindle that more effectively resists wear as a result of coming into contact with the cotton plants, debris and with the dofling wheels of such machines. A general object of this invention is to provide a uniformly wearing cotton picking spindle construction that has uniform action to i induce the cotton fibers to be engaged with the barbs of the spindle, and which construction results in a predictable wrapping and unwrapping of cotton fibers onto and from the spindle.

Cotton picking machines employ a multiplicity of picking units, each unit being composed of various elements including the spindles and doffers or dofilng wheels. The ordinary machine has circumferentially spaced series of cotton picking spindles that are rotated and are advanced progressively into the crop of cotton to be harvested. As the spindles are operated, they draw the cotton fibers from the pods, which fibers are wound onto the spindles. The dofiers, which operate at a greater speed than the spindles,

then unwind the cotton fibers from the spindles so that r but a large bulk of abrasive debris is encountered and v engaged by the spindles, particularly by the lowermost spindles and by the barbs nearest the tip of the spindles, which are rapidly worn and dulled and as a result become more or less ineffective.

It is an object of this invention to provide a spindle for p I cotton pickers that is more durable than the spindles heretofore employed and wherein the barbs of the spindles wear evenly.. With the structure that I provide the entire length of the spindle is uniformly efiective to gather cotton fibers, with the result that picking action is uniform and predictable.

It is an object of this invention to provide a spindle for cotton pickers that eliminates undue wear of the barbs at the tip portion of the spindle by the progressive spacing of the said barbs which provides adequate bearing against the cotton plants, doffers, and debris, to the end that the said barbs at the tip portion wear evenly with the barbs along other portions of the spindle body.

An object of this invention is to provide a spindle- L construction wherein prematurely dulled barbs are eliminated, which in the ordinary spindle adversely afiects picka ing of the cotton fibers along certain portions of the spindle and which shortens the productive life of the spindle.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed descriptionof a typical preferred form and application of my invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 of the drawings illustrates a cotton picking spindle embodying the progressively spaced barbs of the present invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of a portion of the cutter shown in Fig. 1 and taken as indicated by line 2-2 on Fig. l, and, Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of a portion of the spindle and showing the form of the barbs cut therein, and taken as indicated by line 3-3 on Fig. l. a

The cotton picking spindle that I have provided has improved wearing qualities and more predictable eifect -when used in cotton picking machinery commonly employed for harvesting cotton crops. Each individual spindle that I have provided is of rugged reliable construction and is free of fnail unsupported parts. As clearly shown throughout the drawings, the spindle X that I have provided is made of a single integral body of material and involves generally, a bearing portion A, a cotton handling cone B, a drive means C, and one or more picking means D. The spindle X is an elongate element generally round in cross sectional configuration with the cone B tapering toward one end or the tip or point por tion 12 thereof, and the means C is locatedat the opposite end thereof. I 1

The bearing portion-A is a straight elongate cylindrical part adapted to be rotatably carried in a sleeve or bushing (not shown) and has a smooth uninterrupted outer wall 10 turned concentric with the central longitudinal axis of the spindle. I

The cotton handling cone'B is a tapered part or body 13 corresponding in diameter with the portion A at its base end 11 andcon-verging to the tip portion 12 of the spindle. The cone B is integral with the bearing portion A and projects from the portion A on an axis coincidental therewith. The cone B is round in cross section throughout its length and has a smooth outer wall 14 diminishing in diameter as it tapers toward the tip portion 12 of the spindle.

The drive means C is carried by the spindle X at the end remote from the tip 12 and in accordance with the usual spindle construction, is in the form of a bevel drive gear 15. The gear 15 is formed in a flange 16 that projeots radially from the end of the spindle X remote from the tip end 12. I

The general construction thus far described is made in accordance withordinary practice and is formed of any suitable material such as steel and may be hardened or heat treated as circumstances require. However, the final finishing and/or heat treating of the part is preferably delayed until after the means D is formed. therein as hereinafter described.

The picking means D is formed or cut into the body 13 of the cone B, and, as indicated, is in the characteristic form of circumferentially spaced series 20 0f barbs that extend longitudinally of the spindle X. As shown, there isone or more series 20 of barbs, for example, there are three or four such series, and as illustrated, there are three such series. Each series 20 of barbs is preferably alike and each is machined in the body 13 preferably by cutting or by grinding so that the remainingportions of the exterior or wall 14 of the cone B are undisturbed. Each series 20 involves, generally, a recessed face 25, a plurality of barbs 26 projecting from I the face 25 and a lead face 27.

The recessed face 25 and barbs 26 are formed in the body 13 by suitable machining, preferably hobbing or grinding, and the face 25 is established by forming a plurality of facets cut to the same depth or in a common plane to occur between the barbs 26. Each recessed face 25 is preferably a flat face in a plane ofiset from the central longitudinal axis of the spindle X and is angularly related to said axis. The face 25 is preferably spaced inwardly from the wall 14 of the cone B and is parallel with a plane coincidental with the outer wall of the cone. Since the cone B tapers toward the tip or point portion 12 of the spindle, the face 25 diminishes in width as it progresses toward the tip portion of the spindle.

The barbs 26 are in a straight elongate series 20, and as shown, are formed by cutting notches in the body 13, the bottom ofeach notch forming a facet of the face 25. As illustrated in the drawings, the barbs 26 are of like longitudinal sectional configuration and each involves an outer side wall 35 facing the tip portion 12, an inner side wall 36 facing the base of the cone B, a top wall 37 defined by the outer wall 14 of the cone B, and a front face 38 facing laterally in the general direction of rotation of the spindle as it operates.

The outer side wall 35 is in a substantially radial plane that is pitched outwardly and forwardly toward the tip portion 12 of the spindle X. Thus, the wall 35 is at an acute angle with respect to the recessed face 25 and joins the face 25. The outer side wall 35 is flat and the walls 35 and the series of barbs 26 is preferably simultaneously formed by using a form cutter or gang cutter.

The inner side wall 36 may be parallel with the wall 35 but is preferably pitched or angularly related thereto and slants inwardly toward the base 11 of the spindle from the top 37 of the barb to join the face 25. As shown, the side wall 36 is formed at about a 45 angle with respect to the recessed face 25 and provides what may be termed a sloping inner face that assists in releasing cotton fibers from the barbs 26.

The opposite side walls 35 and 36 of the barbs 26 are cut so that the barb points or faces both laterally and longitudinally of the spindle. That is, the barbs are pitched or inclined to face in the direction of rotation indicated by arrow R and are inclined or pointed toward the tip portion 12 of the spindle X. The top face 37 of each barb 26 is curved and is formed by the outer wall 14 of the cone B which remains untouched by the machining operation.

The front face 38 of the spindle X is preferably disposed in a plane extending longitudinally of the spindle X which plane pitches inwardly from the wall 14 to the plane of the recessed face 25 and is preferebly a hooked face in order to more aggressively draw cotton fibers from the pods. The front face 38 is pitched from a to 35 angle and provides a point or an edge 40 of acute angle where the top Wall 37 joins the front face 38 and which faces the direction of rotation of the spindle, and may be said to be undercut as clearly illustrated. With the barbs pointed as above described and with the slanted faces 35, 36, and 38, dofling action provided by separate dofiing means or wheels is facilitated.

The lead face 27 that I have provided is formed so as to induce the movement of cotton fibers into engagement with the barbs 26 and is a curved face that extends and curves forwardly to merge with the outer wall 14 of the cone B. The inner portion 41 of the lead face 27 is preferably flat and may be in the plane of the face 25 while the forward portion 42 of the lead face 27 curves outwardly in the direction of rotation of the spindle and merges with the wall 14. In the preferred form of the invention the fiat inner portion 41 of the lead face 27 is spaced substantially below and is parallel with the recessed face 25 and extends outwardly in the direction of rotation to merge or continue in the forward curved portion 42 of the lead face. As shown, the curved wall 42 merges substantially with the outer face 14 (see Fig. 3) toward the base end portion of the cone B and is of uniform cross section throughout the length of the cone. It will be apparent that the curved face 42 does not merge with the outer face 14 throughout the entire length thereof but meets the face 14 at a corner that becomes progressively sharper toward the tip portion 12 where little or no curvature is left.

In accordance with the present invention the barbs 26 are progressively spaced closer together toward the tip 12 of the spindle. That is, the barbstoward the tip 12 are nearer relative to each other than the barbs toward the base end 11 of the spindle. As pointed out above, the barbs 26 are of like shape and each has a flat or straight top 37 of substantial longitudinal extent. In practice, the face 25 that extends between adjacent spaced barbs 26 is varied in longitudinal extent being of progressively less longitudinal extent toward the tip 12 of the spindle, to the end that the barbs 26 toward the tip 12 are more closely spaced relative to each other than the barbs 26 toward the base end 11. For example, a spindle of inch diameter will have approximately 16 barbs and each barb with a top 37 of approximately .030 to .40 inch longitudinal extent, and each face 25 is progressively less in longitudinal extent by approximately .002 to .004 inch working from the base end 11 toward the tip 12.

In carrying out the invention, the rate of progressively diminishing the longitudinal extent of the face 25 to vary the spacing of the barbs 26 may be varied as circumstances require. By this, I mean that a number of barbs 26 may be equally spaced at the base end portion 11 and for that matter toward the tip end portion 12. In other words, I have found that a more dense placement of barbs 26 at or near the tip 12 as compared with barbs at or near the base end 11 gives the desired wearability unique in the structure of the present invention. However, in actual practice, a substantially even decrease in spacing of the barbs 26 results in a very practical and workable spindle. Therefore, I prefer, and I have illustrated, spacing the barbs 26 progressively and evenly step by step and closer relative to each other toward the tip 12 of the spindle in the manner above specified.

For the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have provided increased bearing surface toward the tip of the spindle by virtue of the more dense placement of barbs 26 at said tip portion. By using the spindle that I have prow'ded, a uniform picking action is obtainable without dulling of the barbs at the tip 12 before dulling of the barbs at the base end 11 of the spindle. During operation of the spindle the flat tops 37 at the tip 12 afford greater bearing surface due to their greater number or frequency as determined by the closeness of placement, as hereinabove described.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A cotton picking spindle of the character described including, an elongate body having a cone-shaped picking portion with a base and with an outer wall converging to a tip and having a recessed face therein disposed longitudinally thereof, and picking means in the said picking portion of the body and comprising a series of barbs extending longitudinally of said picking portion and projectiug from said recessed face, each barb having a top wall and a front face converging at an acute angle to define an edge faced in the direction of rotation, and said barbs being more densely spaced longitudinally relative to each other at the tip portion of the body as compared with those at the base portion of the body.

2. A cotton picking spindle of the character described, including, an elongate body having a cone-shaped picking portion with a base and With an outer wall converging to a tip and having a recessed face therein disposed: longitudinally thereof, and picking means in the said picking portion of the body and comprising a series of barbs extending longitudinally of said picking portion and projecting from said recessed face, each barb having a top wall and a front face converging at an acute angle to define an edge faced in the direction of rotation, and

said barbs being progressively spaced closer together lon-' gitudinally of the body toward the tip thereof.

3. A cotton picking spindle of the character described,

including, an elongate body having a cone-shaped picking portion with a base and with an outer wall converging to a tip and having a recessed face therein disposed 1ongitudinally thereof, and picking means in the said picking portion of the body and comprising a series of barbs extending longitudinally of said picking portion and projecting from said recessed face, each barb having a top at the periphery of the picking portion for bearing engagement with material encountered by the spindle and having a front face, said top and front face converging at an acute angle to define an edge faced in the direction of rotation, and said barbs being more densely spaced longitudinally relative to each other at the tip portion of the body as compared with those at the base portion of the body, whereby said tops of the barbs afford greater bearing engagement at said tip portion of the body.

4. A cotton picking spindle of the character described, including, an elongate body having a cone-shaped picking portion with a base and with an outer wall converging to a tip and having a recessed face therein disposed 1ongitudinally thereof, and picking means in the said picking portion of the body and comprising a series of barbs extending longitudinally of said picking portion and projecting from said recessed face, each barb having a top at the periphery of the picking portion for bearing engagement with material encountered by the spindle and having a front face, said top and front face converging at an acute angle to define an edge faced in the direction of rotation, and said barbs being progressively spaced closer together longitudinally of the body toward the tip thereof, whereby said tops of the barbs afiord progressively greater bearing engagement toward the tip of the body.

5. A cotton picking spindle of the character described, including, an elongate body having a cone-shaped picking portion with a base and with an outer wall converging to a tip and having a recessed face therein disposed longitu-dinally thereof, and picking means in the said picking portion of the body and comprising a series of barbs extending longitudinally of said picking portion and projecting from said recessed face, each barb having a top at the periphery of the picking portion for bearing engagement with material encountered by the spindle and having a front face, said top and front face converging at an acute angle to define an edge faced in the direction of rotation, and said barbs being more densely spaced longitudinally relative to each other at the wear taking portions of the cone shaped picking portion as compared with those at the non-wear taking portions thereof, Whereby said tops at the barbs afford greater bearing engagement at said wear taking portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,787,109 Lindsay Apr. 2, 1957 2,823,509 Lindsay Feb. 18, 1958 

